San Bruno Teen On Joyride Slams Into Gas Line, Sparking Pizza Parlor Blaze
SAN BRUNO (KCBS) -- A 16-year-old girl was arrested Monday after authorities said she led police on a chase and slammed into a natural gas meter at a pizza parlor, causing a massive fire that burned down the restaurant.
The police officer saw the girl in a white 2014 Mercedes-Benz,which belonged to her parents, driving erratically and failing to stop at several stop signs in the vicinity of San Anselmo and Santa Inez avenues around 10:15 a.m., according to police.
The suspect fled from police, crashing into Seniore's Pizza at 992 El Camino Real. The car crashed into a gas meter, and the resulting fire caused significant damage to both the restaurant and the car.
Pizza parlor owner Tabal Jabar told KPIX 5, "Even one of the firemen that came up, came and gave us hugs, he's a customer. I mean, it's pretty sad. I was pretty hurt."
Eddie Grauf, owner of European Car Service, which is located nearby, said the pizza parlor burned down and that the electricity was out in his building.
"There were flames 10, 15 feet high," Grauf said.
The tattoo parlor next door was saved. Owner Jason Nieder was on edge because he lives close to the neighborhood that was destroyed in the 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion.
"It was pretty much déjà vu, pretty much. We lived through it once already where we live, so it's pretty scary seeing all this stuff out here again," Nieder said.
Traffic was diverted and nearby residences were evacuated while San Bruno firefighters put the blaze out. San Mateo County fire dispatchers said the fire had been brought under control as of 12:15 p.m.
The girl was arrested on suspicion of driving without a license and evading an officer, according to police.
Police are not releasing the girl's name because she is a juvenile.
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